"ROVER" BUS.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18722, 19 June 1926, Page 14

"ROVER" BUS.

TRAMWAY- BOARD'S ATTITUDE.

FIGHTING COMPETITION,

The Works and Traffic Committee of tho Tramway. Board met yesterday, and at the conclusion of its meeting a special meeting of the Board wa6 held at.which the following report from the committee was received and adopted :—"Some members of thy Papanui Progress League are reported as having passed "some severe strictures on the Board for running a 'rover' bus in competition with a privately-owned bus until the owner of the latter was compelled to take it off the road." It is also reported that the meeting decided to protest to the Bus Licensing Authority. "Your comimttee begs to draw attention to the fact that tho ratepayers' tramway undertaking has suffered considerable losses during the past twelve months through the action of "pirate" buses. It has responded to these.attacks by supplementing its tram services, aided by buses, and will continue 'to conserve the interests of the ratepayers as a whole by every means in •its Dower. ' "With respect to the position particularly referred to by the Papanui Progress League, viz., that at Bryndwr and Harewood road, it-wishes to draw attention to the fact the Board com-menced-a bus service to Bryndwr almost a year ago. Although the bus has not fully paid its way, the committee hopes when the district becomes more thickly populated that it will reach this desired position. What the Committee. Did.: "When, therefore, it was- found that a' private bus had commenced in the district, running a considerable part of its journey; along the Board's route, and, aided, by a reduction in fares, endeavouring to capture the business for which the Board had catered throughout the year, thus adding to the ratepayers' loss, the committee had no alternative but to endeavour to conserve .'■ the ratepayers' business. .- "It might have • reduced fares/to those charged by the private bus, or Oven cut fares below this, but it contented itself "by supplementing its own service by an assisting T>us at the busy .times, in order that every reasonable inducement should be offered to tho public to continue to patronise the ratepayers' 'bus undertaking. ■■ "The committee has not altered the old route, nor has it sought to enter the territory exclusively served by the private bus along Bligh's, Matson's, and Harewood, roads. "With respect to tho statement that Mr Sanders had pledged his word that if the rover bus was taken off his special route, he would keep his service going, the position is that the Board's bus has never been run on his special, route. "With respect to .the Harewood road, the committee some time ago-encour-aged a private bus in its operation betimeem Papanui and Slarowood road district on the grounds that it. was serving .as a feeder to ■ the. tramway service at, Papanui.".:'..